HUDSONVILLE — Deciding what to do with Summergreen Golf Course — like acquiring a public easement along the creek that runs through it — is one objective in the city’s new strategic plan.

A 13-page draft of the five-year plan includes several specific tasks that fall under broader objectives like “continue to operate and improve our city parks and open spaces.” One bullet point directs city leaders to consider a public use for a privately owned golf course that has fallen into disrepair at 3441 New Holland St.

A creekside path is one idea.

“There’s a big question mark on (the future of) this property,” City Manager Patrick Waterman said. “This is probably one of the last real nice green spaces left in the city.
“Someone has to talk about that. Someone has to sit down as a group and make a recommendation to the city.”

RDI Cos., a Wayland-based real estate development firm, had planned condominiums for the 29-year-old course, which is surrounded by the 220-unit Summergreen Condominiums, but the company backed off as the housing market soured. The course was leased to a separate operator this year, but business was slow and no lease is planned next year, said Robert Deppe, RDI president.

“It was just run down so bad,” he said. “There just isn’t enough golfers out there to justify the amount of money it would take to get that course in shape.”

Deppe said he has no immediate plans for the land and has not talked with the city about any public use, although “we’d be open to talking to anybody.”

Among other goals in the draft strategic plan:

budget enough money each year to maintain and repair city streets, per a leading complaint from residents in a survey earlier this year

evaluate construction of a downtown public square and work with business owners on relocation to accommodate public improvements.

analyze potential intergovernmental partnerships, such as a shared fire authority, recreation authority, public transportation service and senior center.

think up a new use for the site of former tennis courts in Hughes Park.

“We identified in the survey that (sidewalk snowplowing) was one of the top services,” City Commission member John O’Brien said.

The draft also calls for a minimum general-fund cash balance at 20 percent of annual spending, while limiting future debt to downtown redevelopment projects such as the proposed public square. But specifying downtown projects stirred objection during commission’s review this week.

Commissioners will continue to review the plan, with approval expected in the coming months.